Imphal, Oct 14: Amid growing demands for accountability following the registration of a police case against Manipur Congress MP Bimol Akoijam over alleged sexual misconduct, his supporters on Wednesday marched to the BJP headquarters in Manipur, demanding the withdrawal of the case.
The protesters denounced the allegations against Akoijam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor, and raised slogans against state BJP president A Sharda Devi for demanding his resignation.
Police personnel pushed the demonstrators back after they reached the headquarters gate.
In a parallel demonstration, supporters staged a sit-in outside Akoijam’s residence to express solidarity with the MP and condemn the registration of the case.
A social activist participating in the protest described the allegations as unjust, saying Akoijam had consistently raised his voice in Parliament against the violence and attacks in Manipur over the past three years.
“Today we are staging this demonstration against all the unjust and unfair allegations against Akoijam. He is such an educated person who has been raising his voice in Parliament for the last three years against the violence and attacks faced by us,” she said.
She also alleged that BJP members had attempted to disrupt the march, which she described as peaceful.
“We were taking a peaceful march today, but BJP people have tried to disturb the programme. This is clear discrimination,” she said.
Expressing confidence in the MP, she added that few leaders from Manipur had been able to raise their voices on a national platform as effectively as Akoijam, and demanded that the allegations be dropped.
Akoijam reportedly came out of his residence to address the gathering and thank supporters for standing by him. He said he had largely maintained silence out of respect for the legal process.
Akoijam while addressing his supporters on Wednesday (Photo: AT)
The controversy follows Akoijam’s dismissal from JNU after an inquiry into sexual harassment allegations. Delhi Police subsequently registered a case following a complaint by university authorities.
The matter has also drawn a political response from BJP women MPs, who said they would approach President Droupadi Murmu over JNU’s decision to dismiss Akoijam, adding to calls for accountability over the allegations.
Akoijam has denied the allegations and said the facts should be established through the legal process. Responding earlier to allegations concerning a gathering of 11 students at his residence, he denied the claims and said a court would determine the facts.
The Congress MP has also described the police case as a “witch-hunt”, alleging that he is being targeted for speaking out against the situation in Manipur.